Garment press



June 4, 1940. s. F. McDOUGALL GARMENT PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1939 June G. F. M DOUGALL 2,203,359

GARMENT PRESS I Filed June 3, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR J1me 1940- G. F. MODOUGALL GARMENT PRESS Filed June 3, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheeft 5 INVENTOR 464 fim fim w June 4, 1940- G. F. MCDOUGALL GARMENT PRESS 5 SheetsSheet 4 Filed June 3. 1939 VIIII 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 6647 .4 fwifigafl June 4, 1940. G. F. MQDOUGALL GARMENT PRESS Filed June 3, 1959 v, I I .1 1 1?! uwwi A: Li

Fig 1H:

Fatented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application June 3, 1939, Serial No. 277,129

20 Claims.

This invention relates to a garment press of a new type, which I name the turret press.

The invention further relates to presses that press a shirt, waiters coat and such like garments in one operation as to the body of the garment with the sleeves, collar and cuffs being otherwise ironed.

I am aware that it has been proposed to construct a machine with vertical pressing jaws, one of which is relatively fixed with the other movable towards and from the first named jaw and to pass bucks, roughly shaped like a human bust between them to form press a garment thereon, ironing'both the front and rear at the same time.

In pressing garments of the kind, the first problem is varying sizes, say from size 14 to 18. Two bucks of different sizes do not lend themselves to proper draping and ironing of all sizes; three is much better but still somewhat inadequate. A further problem is that one pair of press jaws must be a compromise and being adapted to work on several sizes of bucks cannot closely fit any ofthem, hence does not perform the highest class of work. -5 The object of the present invention is first, adequate production with a relatively long period when the press jaws are actually ironing a garment inplace on a buck that fits the jawsin each case, hence doing the very best quality of work.

Another object is a machine that is adapted to first quality work, with a comparatively low steam pressure for heating the press jaws, hence wide adaptability as few laundries have high pressure, high heat boilers.

described, the production rate of which is limited, not by the time limit necessary to dry and iron a shirt with one pair of press jaws, but only by the skill and dexteritycf the operators, attained by reason of having at least two heated pairs of press jaws in active pressing service at all times when the press is in service. Longer contact time permits effective ironing with lower pressure temperature steam than with a single pair of jaws.

A further object is a multiple pressing machine assembly that is capable of utilizing the production line principle that has made modern automobile and other production methods so effective, that of moving the work to the operator at predetermined speed instead of depending upon the individual operative to set the pace.

Other and more specific objectswill be. apparent-to those skilled in the artto which this in- A further object is a machine of the class vention appertains as the specification and the drawings hereinafter described-are considered.

The drawings are of a preferred type of a machine according to the present inventionbut are shown by way of explanation and not intended as 6 a limitation since I do not choose-to be limited save by the claims hereto attached. I believe that I am entitled toclaim this type of machine broadly, hence the drawings will be taken as illustrative only and the nature of the invention and scope thereof are to beascertained from the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is a plan view'oi my new turret press looking down on the machine from above, with 15 some parts broken away to accommodate the view to the sheet; piping and operating levers are also broken;

Fig. II is a longitudinal section of Fig. I showing some additional detail;

Fig. III is a section taken at III-III 01 Fig. I;

Fig. IV is=aedetached view showing one of the swinging, gate-like arms with a press jaw carried thereby, which is a preferred form of construction but may be varied as designed strength permits;

Fig. V is a section, taken at V-V, Fig. II;

Fig. VI is a vertical section diagrammatically illustrating one press jaw, on its center line;

Fig. VII is a vertical section of a buck on the centerline;

Fig. VIII is' a vertical section of a press jaw companion to the one shown in Fig. VI;

Figs. IX, X and XI are. all taken on the line IXIX, Fig. II, but including the buck which is shown moved out from between the jaws in Fig. II; and.

Fig. XII is a section taken at.XIIXII, Fig. II.

In the drawings, l is a. base upon which a turret 2 is revolubly mounted. In operation the turret will be kept revolving at such speed as may be desirable to allow two operatives to drape and undrape the bucks as the several pressing machines carried by the turret press the garments and open successively for that purpose.

Mounted on the turret 2 and revoluble therewith are four identical pressing machines, save that preferably the bucks and cooperative pressing jaws for'each buckwill be arranged for vary -ing sizes of garments.

These pressing machines are shown in Fig. I at top, bottom, right: and left positions on, the drawings, though two. of them are broken away somewhat to accommodate. the drawing to the 65 sheet.

dicia.

Each pressing machine comprises a pair of cooperative pressing jaws J, which are concaved to fit a buck B and substantially enclose it with its own motor devices to open and close the jaws. This construction is shown in the sectional views, Figs. VI to XI inclusive, and it will be understood that the shapes there shown are diagrammatic and may be varied quite widely so long as the buck is roughly in the form of a human body, provided with a neck portion, and without any provision for sleeves. Sleeve supports will be provided but they are old and deemed unnecessary to delineate in these drawings.

It is thought that clarity of this specification can be improved by describing one pressing machine in detail, it being understood that save for variations in size of the external outlines of the several bucks and the corresponding concavity of the cooperative pressing jaws, the same description may be applied to each and every one of the other pressing machines. With the exceptions stated. the same patterns and finished dimensions will be used to build them.

The bucks B will be made of any suitable material, which may be laminated wood, spruce, or any other wood that is not pitchy can be used; or the bucks may be hollow castings or formed in sections of strong sheet metal and autogenously welded together. The bucks will be covered with a jacket of resilient rubber about one-half inch thick, outside of which will be the close woven cotton cover according to the known art.

As shown in plan in Fig. I, hinge lugs 4 are equally spaced around the turret 2. These hinge lugs are provided with bores within which the pins 9 are mounted to hingedly engage swinging press supporting arms of the kind shown detached from the machine in Fig. IV.

In the drawings there are four pairs of these swinging press arms, which being identical except that they are rights and lefts, are given the reference numerals 6 and I for right and left respectively.

The lower hinge lugs that cooperate with these swinging arms are for the most part hidden by other apparatus, but it will be understood that they are in precise alignment with the upper ones and will be given the same number with the subscript a.

Though the swinging press arm indicated by the numeral 1 in Fig. IV will be of composite construction, it will be regarded as a single unit and has cooperating hinge parts la and lb, a distance piece 1c and pivoted mountings 1d and 1e wherein are mounted the pivots Illa and lflb of the press jaw J.

These swinging arms, especially the top and bottom parts thereof, are preferably made of steel castings and have cams made rigid therewith, which cams are indicated by l2 and I3 (see Fig. I).

A yoke I5 is provided with a pair of cam rollers It so spaced that they span the distance between the cams l2 and I3 and roll in them. This yoke is reciprocable under the influence of the double acting expansion motor l! which contains a piston l8 and a piston rod l9, which is connected to the yoke l5, as shown in Fig. I.

An identical arrangement is reversely placed on the under side of the swinging arm, and the two motors being identical are given the same number, IT, and the lower motor assembly is They are not given distinguishing incontrolled to reciprocate in unison with the upper motor assembly.

It will be noted that the cams l2 and I3 are two stage, having a relatively great angle in the portion marked 12a and a relatively small one in the portion marked I21), and all other cams are made the same way except that they are right or left as delineated.

It will be observed that while the cam rollers 16 are traversing that portion of the cam marked l2a, a rapid opening or closing movement results and while they are traversing the other portion which has a relatively small angle, as shown in the other views where the pressing jaws are together, a very high pressure will result tending to close the press jaws firmly over the bucks.

The press jaws are steam heated, having steam spaces marked 20, Fig. IX, which are connected to the metal hoses 2| by what is known as the single pipe heating system, that is the steam goes in and the condensate out ofthe same pipe; hence drainage must be arranged for. The hose is connected to the swivel 22 Within which the turret 2 is supplied with steam by the steam pipe 23 and a condensate trap not shown will be attached to the steam pipe 23 at a convenient point to dispose of the condensate.

Rigidly attached to the turret 2 is a buck supporting arm 25, there being one for each pressing machine.

A buck carriage 26 is slidably mounted on the arm 25 and a buck B mounted thereon is reciprocable into and out of pressing position between the jaws under the influence of the double acting expansible type motor 21.

The buck carriage 26 has a very important auxiliary, that is the offset pivotal mounting or pin 28 which is pivoted at 29 to the carriage and at 30 to the buck B.

This mounting permits a rocking motion of the buck B or a yielding of the buck B in either direction. If perchance the pressure of the jaws be not applied to the buck absolutely simultaneously, then the ofiset mounting will yield or the buck will turn slightly on the pivot 30 so that no damage is done.

A compressed air supply pipe 40 is axially disposed with respect to the turret 2 and connected to a supply of compressed air remotely situated and not shown. It is supplied with a swivel 4| from which pipes 42 lead to control valves such as 43. These valves such as 43 are operated by push rods 45 and the push rods 45 are controlled by a cam 45a. The followers 46 on the end of the push rods 45, are constrained to follow the surface of the cam by influence of the springs such as 41.

A cam 50 simultaneously controls a valve 5| by moving a pushrod 52 according to its contour. The pushrod 52 is constrained to follow the cam by the spring 53 and appropriately furnish compressed air to one end of the motor served and exhaust the other end. The same thing happens with respect to the motors I! which are supplied concurrently with air at the same end and ex-' hausted at the other end. There is a full complement as above for each machine, all governed by the same cams.

It will be noted that all of the air motors are double acting and that when the pressing machine is in service there is no neutral position. One end or the other of each motor is always under air pressure. To prevent slamming, the exhaust openings will in all cases be provided with a throttling cock or similar regulating means, hence the exhaustedend of ajmotor serves asa cushion for the active one. This is an old and well known expedient hence it has not been deemed necessary to further complicate the drawingsby showing it.

Turning now to Fig. XII, the broken line A represents the point where a pair of press jaws open and'immediately following that, motors such as 21 will be energized from the end next the turret 2 and'the buck B will beejected from between the jaws J to the position shown at the lefthand end of the sheet in Figs. I and II.

Returning to Fig. XII, the broken line B represents the. place where first the motor such as 21 will be actuated in an opposite direction, pulling the buck B'into pressing relationship with the jaw J, immediately following which the pair of motors such as I! will be energized from their inside ends with the other end placed in exhaust.

It is intended that an operator shall be present to undrape a buck of its pressed garment immediately it opens and the buck is ejected at point A and that another operative will be present and drape a damp garment on the buck just undraped in time for it to be drawn into position for pressing when the pressing machine reaches the point B. The turret carrying the pressing machines will revolve at one revolution in four minutes, more or less.

It will be immediately apparent that by shifting the earns and 50, the machine is in effect turned around; hence there is no such thing front or rear and it may be made'to open and close at any point on the given zone of operation represented by the curved lines with arrow points in Fig. XII. By changing the lengths of the cams 45a and almost any variation in operating sequence may be obtained.

The bottom of the turret 2 is supplied with a rigidly attached bevel gear 60, meshing with the bevel pinion El and a broken shaft 62 receives power of appropriate amount and at a speed suitable to the operation as described. This delineation is diagrammatic.

It will be understood that while I have described only one pressing machine that the same description as mentioned before serves for all of them because they are identical in every part save for the curved outline of the bucks and the contra curved inside surfaces of the press jaws J.

A great many details appearing in the drawings have not been given reference numerals or described, but their purpose is obvious and the drawings are somewhat diagrammatic especially as to the pipe work that supplies the different motors with compressed air. This pipe work has of necessity been brought out into sight where it can be referred. to, but actually it is copper tubing that lies in most cases close to the turret or other relatively fixed parts and is prop- 1. In a pressing machine a base, a turret rev-- oluble on said base and a plurality of pressing machines in spaced radial position around said turret, each pressing machine being comprised of a pair of vertical pressing jaws, swingable arm mountings for said jaws that are supported by the turret, a buck adapted to register between the jaws and. expansible motor operated devices that are effective to move the jaws into and out of pressing relationship to the buck.

2. In a pressing machine a base, a turret revoluble on said base and a plurality of pressing machines in spaced radial position around said turret, each pressing machine being comprised of a pair of vertical pressing jaws, swingable arm mountings for said jaws that are supported by the turret, a buck adapted to register between the jaws, and motor operated devices that are effective to move the jaws into and out of pressing-relationship to the buck.

3. In a pressing machine, a base, a turret rev olubly mounted on said base, generally radial arms hinged to the turret, press jaws in opposed pairs that are pivotally supported by said arms, a buck mounted for movement into and out of registration with said jaws that is adapted to have a garment draped thereon for pressing, expansible chamber motors and transmissions therefor that are effective to move the jaws into forcible contact with a garment draped on the buck and a motor actuated buck carriage that is arranged to move the buck radially with re spect to the turret.

4. In a press of the character described comprising a revoluble turret, generally radial arms hinged to the turret, opposed press jaws pivotally supported in vertical position near the outside end of thesaid arms, a buck that is regis trable' between the jaws to press a garment draped thereon and an expansible chamber motor and cam transmissions therefor, that are effective to open and close the pressing jaws with respect to the buck.

5. In a turret press, a revoluble turret, a plurality of pressing machines mounted in spaced radial relationship to said turret, each pressing machine consisting of a pair of generally concaved press jaws, expansible motor and trans missions for opening and closing the jaws, a garment buck that is shaped to efiectively fit the jaws, a mounting for the buck and a buck carriage on said mounting arranged for radial movement of the buck into and out of pressing position between the jaws.

6. In a turret press a turret, hinged jaw supporting arms on the turret. press jaws on said arms that are cooperatively swingable into and out of pressing relationship to a buck, a buck for said press mounted to cooperate with said pressing jaws, a reciprocal buck carriage and an offset pivot pin, one end of the pin being pivotally engaged with the buck carriage and the other end being in pivotal engagement with the buck.

7. In a turret press of the character. described, a turret, generally radial arms hinged on said turret in opposed pairs, vertical press jaws supported in opposed cooperating position on said arms, one jaw being on each arm, an upright buck that is registrable between said jaws and separate motor and cam transmission means of similar power that are arranged to concurrently apply pressing force to the jaws at their top and bottom ends.

8. A turret garment press comprising a revoluble turret, three or more complete pressing machines in spaced radial position around said turret and revoluble therewith in a zone, each pressing machine comprising a pair of press 15 jaws and a buck registrabl e therebetween, motor operated transmissions for opening and closing the jaws and other motor operated transmissions for moving the buck into and out of pressing relationship to said jaws, characterized by motor control means that are efiective to operate each pressing machine in sequence for opening and subsequent closing thereof at predetermined points on the common zone of movement.

9. A turret type garment pressing machine comprising a base, an upright turret revolubly mounted on the base, generally radial arms hingedly mounted on the turret, steam heated pressing jaws pivotally mounted near the outer ends of the arms in opposed cooperating pairs, a buck that is mounted for movement into and out of registration with the jaws, a mounting for the buck that is carried by the turret and a carriage for the buck that is slidably mounted on said buck mounting.

10. The combination according to claim 9 and including expansible motor means for timely sliding the buck carriage to place the buck in or out of registry position with respect to the pressing jaws.

11. A turret type press comprising a base, a turret revolubly superposed on the base, generally radial buck arms made rigid with the turret, garment forming bucks slidingly mounted on said buck arms, sliding buck mountings therefor, press jaw support arms hinged in opposed pairs on the turret on opposite sides of each buck arm, steam heated press jaws rockably supported by the jaw support arms that are curved to substantially enclose a buck when engaged therewith and expansible motors that are effective to concurrently swing the hinged jaw support arms, thereby opening or closing the jaws with respect to the bucks.

12. The combination as claimed in claim 11 and including an expansible motor operated device for sliding the buck mountings.

13. In a turret type press, a revoluble turret, an opposed pair of generally radial press arms hingedly mounted on the turret, opposed concaved face vertical press jaws pivotally mounted near the outer ends of the press arms, a radial buck arm made rigid with the turret, a buck supported on said buck arm that is movable into and out of registry position between the concaved faces of the jaws, and expansible motors and transmissions therefor that are effective to swing the press arms, concurrently moving both press jaws into or out of contact with a buck therebetween.

14. In a turret type press, a revoluble turret, gate-like generally radial arms hingedly attached to the turret in opposed pairs that are swingable towards and from each other, press jaws carried in vertical position near the outside endof each arm that are adapted to register with each other when the arms are swung together, and expansible chamber double action motors with transmissions therefor that are effective to concurrently swing the arms, thereby moving the press jaws into or out of effective contactwith an object placed therebetween.

15. In a turret press, a revoluble turret, press jaw supporting arms hingedly attached td said turret, press jaws rockably supported by said arms to revolve in a zone outside of the turretya buck mounting that is made rigid with said tur: rent, a buck on said buck mounting that is adapted to registerbetween the press jaws, and a mounting for said buck that permits a rocking movement, a yielding movement towards either press jaw or a combination of such movements as pressure is applied by the jaws to the buck.

16. In a turret press, a revoluble turret, a pair of gate like arms hingedly attached to said turret, apair of vertical cooperating jaws supported by said arms that are swingable therewith to closed or open positions, cam devices that are made rigid with upper and lower parts ofeach arm, yokes having cooperating cam rollers thereon that span the spaces between the cam devices on said arms and operatively engage. therewith and expansible chamber motors that .f.

movable into or out of registration with the jaws.

18. In a turret type press, in combination, a revoluble turret, a pair of generally radialarms' hingedly supported by said turret, a pair of cooperating pressing jaws, one of which is carried by each of said radial arms,that are adapted to register when the arms are moved towards each other and motor operated means for concurrently swinging the arms and the jaws therewith in either opening or closing direction.

19. A garment pressing machine comprising a base member, a turret revolubly mounted on said base, a plurality of pairs of arms hinged to the turret at one end with a press jaw-supported at the free end of each of said arms, the said jaws being adapted to register when the arms concurrently approach a median line between them, expansible chamber motors and transmission means that are. effective to move the arms and the jaws therewith to registry position and apply pressing force to the jaws, the said transmissions including cams and cam followers that are adapted to transmit motor power at fast closing speed with low power to the jaws during the closing movement and slow speed with greater power when the jaws have nearly closed together;

20. In a turret press of the character described, a turret, radial arms hinged to said turret, press jaws carried by said arms that are concurrently movable therewith to register, each with the oth-er,'a buck that is movableinto or out of reg-' istry position between the jaws, a mounting .for

the buck and a connection between the buck and its mounting that is arranged for a bilateral or a against the buck by the jaws.

GEORGE F. MCDOUGALL. 

